Illustration of firefly
firefly
noun
fire·fly
ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌflī 
: any of various winged nocturnal beetles (especially family Lampyridae) that produce a bright soft intermittent light by oxidation of luciferin especially for courtship purposes
Examples of firefly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Friday evening, before the show began, adults could be seen lounging on lawn chairs or picnic blankets across McCullough Park’s lawn while children ran around and played, some trying to catch fireflies that lit up like miniature versions of the fireworks to come.
—
R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
For many of us, summer means attending backyard barbecues, laughing with neighbors and friends, watching kids chase fireflies, and enjoying fireworks lighting up the night.
—Ashish Jha, Time, 3 July 2025
Many of us will now be spending significantly more time enjoying the great outdoors by hitting the beach, swimming, hiking, or cooking outside among the fireflies.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
This allows moths, bats, fireflies, and other nocturnal insects to locate flowers for feeding and pollination efficiently.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for firefly
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R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
For many of us, summer means attending backyard barbecues, laughing with neighbors and friends, watching kids chase fireflies, and enjoying fireworks lighting up the night.
—Ashish Jha, Time, 3 July 2025
Many of us will now be spending significantly more time enjoying the great outdoors by hitting the beach, swimming, hiking, or cooking outside among the fireflies.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
This allows moths, bats, fireflies, and other nocturnal insects to locate flowers for feeding and pollination efficiently.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for firefly
Cite this Entry
“Firefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firefly. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
firefly
noun
fire·fly
ˈfī(ə)r-ˌflī
: any of numerous night-flying beetles that produce a bright soft flashing light for courtship purposes
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